Proposal would relax Birmingham schools dress code, allows cellphones

West End Academy students in the current uniforms allowed by the school board. Birmingham city schools may relax its dress code next school year, particularly in the elementary and middle school grades, by allowing more colors. (The Birmingham News/Joe Songer).

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- A proposal to relax the dress code in Birmingham city schools would allow students to wear more colors in their shirts, pants and shoes.

It would also change the Code of Student Conduct to make it OK for students to bring cellphones to school.

In grades kindergarten through eight, Birmingham students are allowed to wear only blue or black bottoms -- pants, skirts and shorts -- and white or light blue collared shirts.

In high school, students are allowed khaki, blue or black bottoms and white or light blue shirts. The dress code allows only solid-color shoes in black, brown, navy or white, with only one accent color.

The new proposal -- which would be the same for all grades -- would allow khaki bottoms, as well as the black and navy blue bottoms already allowed, and shirts in black, khaki and any shade of blue.

Shoes in any colors and accent colors will be allowed, but students will still not be allowed to wear open-toe shoes or steel-toe boots. Boots aren't allowed on girls or boys in any grade, but would be allowed under the new proposal, said Michaelle Chapman, spokeswoman for Birmingham city schools and a member of the Code of Student Conduct Committee.

Another change proposed involves use of cellphones. Cellphones aren't permitted in Birmingham schools, although most students bring them. The proposal would allow students to bring cellphones to school but require keeping them turned off during the school day, and out of sight in a bookbag, purse or locker, Chapman said.

The recommendations have passed the district's Policy Committee and will go before the Board of Education for consideration.

Parent Jerry Tate, who also sits on the committee, said the changes are long overdue.

"Parents have been asking for this for a long time," he said. "It gives parents some flexibility when shopping and keeps us from having to leave work and come up to the school when we get calls, especially about the shoes."

Tate said the cellphone policy brings the district into the 21st century. Most school districts already allow cellphones as long as they are turned off during the school day.

"It gives parents a chance to get in touch with their children after school, so it's a safety issue," he said. "Many of our children walk to school, and this allows us to be able to call them to make sure they arrived where they were supposed to go."